Encore
by Genki Collective
Summary: A story about two girls who choose to love each other without regrets, in spite of the odds against them. AT/AU; yuri. ON HIATUS.


**A/N:**

_**WARNING! This story contains yuri subject matter! **_Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. The cover art belongs to Selective Mutism (aka MUTE-sk3tch3s), and is used here with her express permission.

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**_PREFACE: _**_Encore _is the second story I've written with Mugi as a main character, and my first multi-chapter fiction where she has a starring role. She tends to get a mere fraction of the attention the other main characters get, so I decided to give her the spotlight I feel she deserves, as well as pairing her with someone other than Ritsu, Mio, or Yui. Furthermore, I wanted to write a story that deals a little more openly with the challenges that come with real-life romance between women, especially in a country like Japan, where tolerance is in very short supply. If you prefer your yuri without messy, real-life complications like bullying, discrimination, or alienation, this story is probably not for you. Otherwise, join me in rooting for Mugi and Himeko. After all, Mugi deserves love, too. – Genki Collective

* * *

**Chapter 1: Fate and Mugi's Book Bag**

_8/17/2009, 2:55 pm  
__Classroom 3-2, Sakuragaoka Girl's Senior High School, Nakadai 3-15-1, Itabashi Ward, Tōkyō_

Tachibana Himeko scowled impatiently at the clock on the wall for what must have been the fifth time in as many minutes. To her annoyance, the more times she looked, the slower the clock's digits seemed to change. It was like watching water boil, but she couldn't help herself. She had better things to do than to sit in the claustrophobic classroom, weighted down under the crushing boredom of a lecture in medieval Japanese history. The sooner class was over, the sooner her quality of life would improve to something close to bearable.

The afternoon sun shone through the windows, overwhelming the air conditioner and turning the already stuffy room into a hothouse. The teacher's sleep-inducing monotone, which Himeko suspected would give any narcotic a run for its money, was making matters that much worse. At that moment, he was droning on about a 15th-century rebellion against the Ashikaga Shogunate, but Himeko wasn't particularly interested in hearing the details. Tuning out his voice, she went back to pretending to look at her history book, which was balanced on its lower edge on the desk in front of her. In reality, it was little more than a prop, serving as camouflage for a well-thumbed copy of Volume Four of Shimura Takako's _Aoi Hana_.

The yuri manga was by far Himeko's favorite, and it had so captured her interest that she was reading this particular volume for the third time. She identified closely with Fumi, one of the main characters, who was a closeted lesbian trying to fit into the often-hostile environment of a modern Japanese high school. Himeko wasn't anything like Fumi – she was much less bookish and far more athletic – and their situations were different, but that didn't stop her from admiring Fumi's courage, especially when it came to confessing to the girl she liked. That was something Himeko had not yet been brave enough to attempt.

When she came to a stopping point, she decided to take a quick look around to make sure no one had noticed her reading. To her relief, neither the teacher nor her classmates had paid her any mind. Most of Himeko's fellow students, preoccupied with preparations for college entrance examinations, were actually trying to pay attention to the lecture, knowing that the material was likely to be on the Center Test that coming January. _More power to them, _she thought. Next year, while they were at university sitting through still more boring lectures, she would be at beauty school actually learning something of practical value. The need to memorize obscure historical facts would be a thing of the past.

Not all of the university-bound students were paying attention to the teacher. To Himeko's left sat one of the exceptions. Hirasawa Yui, her seatmate, lay slumped over her desk, not even bothering to disguise the fact that she was asleep. She had a silly smile on her face, even in slumber, and every so often she would mumble something unintelligible or giggle softly. Himeko couldn't suppress a smirk, because it was totally in character for the daffy brunette. Yui was probably dreaming about cake again, or maybe that cute second-year she always seemed to be clinging to. Himeko briefly searched her memory for the name: Nakano Azusa. She wondered if there was really anything between the two girls, or if it was just a case of Yui being Yui.

The other classmates ignoring the teacher all happened to be Yui's close friends. Like Yui, Tainaka Ritsu was sprawled in her chair fast asleep, head back and mouth open, blissfully unaware of the teacher's analysis of Kamakura Period politics. Nearby, a clearly frustrated Akiyama Mio was leaning over toward the sleeping Ritsu, poking at her with a mechanical pencil in a vain attempt to wake her up. Himeko only glanced at Ritsu and Mio for a moment, however, before her eyes finally settled on the third girl, who was watching the others with evident amusement: the object of Himeko's affections, Kotobuki Tsumugi.

Giving up all pretense of paying attention to the lecture, Himeko instead allowed herself to gaze at the beautiful blonde _ojō_. Mugi's eyes, an exquisite shade of sapphire blue, were deep enough to drown in; Himeko couldn't help but be transfixed by the sight of them. And she especially longed to touch that waist-length, honey-blonde hair, imagining it would feel like spun gold in her hands. To be allowed simply to brush it would be the highest privilege. She pictured Mugi as a radiant princess clad in white, waiting for Himeko, her prince, to ride to her rescue. She would sweep Mugi into her arms, and carry her to safety…

As had happened so many times before, Himeko was staring a bit more openly than she'd intended, and Mugi quickly caught her. She smiled back at the brunette, and when she did so, Himeko couldn't keep from trembling. It was as if those sapphire eyes were caressing her very soul. Himeko returned the smile, but she wasn't able to hold Mugi's gaze for very long.

To say she was smitten with the blonde was an understatement. She had always admired Mugi from afar, but from the moment Yui had formally introduced them on the first day of their third year at Sakuragaoka, Himeko knew she was doomed. Far more than a simple crush, her attraction to Mugi had spiraled over the weeks and months to a level approaching desperation.

The love-struck brunette had never acted on her feelings, however, because she was unsure how Mugi felt about dating girls. The _ojō_ always smiled when she caught Himeko staring, but it never came across as anything other than her being flattered by the attention. She had overheard rumors about Mugi being a lesbian, but there was no way to know if they were true. There was certainly no way Himeko was going to ask around for more information, given the gossip circulating about her own sexuality, and it was out of the question to approach the blonde directly. If Mugi turned out to be straight, and rejected her in disgust, it was very likely that the news that she was gay would spread like wildfire through the entire school. At that point, it wouldn't matter that Himeko was a star softball player. She would instantly be labeled Weird Tachibana, the girl who was "like that," and her life would become a living hell.

There was no other option, she felt, but to live with the agony and ecstasy that came with unrequited love. Simply to be in the same classroom as Mugi, to admire her radiant beauty, and to savor every word of their infrequent conversations, was exquisite, Himeko thought, and she wouldn't trade it for anything. It came with a price, however, and that was the pain that came from knowing that her heart's desire would never be fulfilled. Now, as she stole another look at the blonde, she felt a fresh wave of despair wash through her. It hurt to look, and it hurt not to look. She wondered how she was going to make it through the rest of the school year with her sanity intact.

Rather than get caught staring again, Himeko was about to turn her attention back to _Aoi Hana,_ but before she could do so, the chimes rang to signal the end of the final class period and the beginning of the afternoon homeroom meeting. As befitted a third-year class in their final trimester of mandatory attendance, the session was almost an afterthought. Yamanaka-sensei, the homeroom teacher, didn't even bother to show up, having sent word to Manabe Nodoka, the student council president who doubled as class representative, to lead the session in her place. As the bespectacled class leader launched into a series of routine announcements, Himeko ignored her in favor of allowing her eyes to drift to Mugi once more.

"There's one more thing we need to take care of," Nodoka announced as the session was ending. "Nojima-san was supposed to be on cleaning duty with Tachibana-san, but she's absent today. We need someone to replace her."

Himeko flinched, having forgotten it was her turn to clean. She was supposed to help the softball captain lead batting practice after homeroom, and she had to be at the convenience store for work by 18:00. Staying after for cleaning duty was going to complicate things. Hopefully, someone would step up to help her instead of being forced to volunteer; that way, they would get done more quickly, without Himeko having to motivate a reluctant draftee.

"I'll do it, Manabe-san," said a voice. To Himeko's astonishment, Mugi had raised her hand.

"Okay, then, it's decided," Nodoka declared. "Kotobuki-san will help Tachibana-san, and I'll redo the schedule so that Nojima-san takes her next scheduled day."

With that, homeroom ended, and the students began to gather their belongings and head through the door. There were exams to study for and club business to take care of, so most had no reason to linger, and the room quickly emptied. Himeko barely noticed them leave, too preoccupied with the unexpected turn of events to pay much attention to what was going on around her. As it sank in that it would be just her and Mugi alone in the classroom together, she felt a flutter in the pit of her stomach. Himeko had never actually had a private conversation with Mugi before, and now, by happy chance, she had the beautiful blonde all to herself, even if it was only for a few minutes. She couldn't believe her luck.

Soon, the room was empty save for Himeko, Mugi, Mio, and Ritsu. As usual, Yui had already gone to the Music Room ahead of her friends, mumbling something about not wanting Azusa to be lonely. The other two girls huddled together with Mugi, but their voices were too low for Himeko to pick up anything they were saying. Every so often, the three would glance at Himeko and giggle among themselves, which made the brunette feel self-conscious. Before she could ask them what was going on, however, the group broke up, and Mio and Ritsu headed for the door. On the way out, Ritsu smiled knowingly at Mugi.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"Shut up, Ritsu," Mio ordered, shoving the protesting drummer through the doorway. With a nod to Himeko and an apologetic smile at Mugi, the bassist disappeared after her friend, closing the door behind her. Himeko was about to ask Mugi what Ritsu's comment meant, but the question was driven from her mind when it dawned on her that the two of them were finally alone.

She turned to find the blonde smiling at her, her eyes sparkling. With just one look into those pools of sapphire, everything Himeko could have thought to say was instantly forgotten. There she was, alone with the girl she was head over heels for, and she couldn't get a single syllable out. She could actually feel her knees knocking as the flush crept across her face. Desperately, she willed the words to come, but in the end she was unable to do anything other than belabor the obvious.

"Um, it looks like, uh, it's just us."

"Just us," Mugi echoed. She looked at Himeko expectantly, but the tall athlete remained at a loss for words. All she had to do was to get over her nerves and talk to Mugi. She had faced far more difficult challenges on a softball field with no problems, so why was she suddenly making it so hard on herself? She had no answer, and with a rising sense of panic, she realized she was blowing it.

"Uh, we should get started, then," was all she could offer. Mugi hesitated, as if expecting Himeko to continue, but when it became obvious that the brunette wasn't going to say anything more, she shrugged and headed for the supply locker at the back of the room. After a moment, Himeko followed her, kicking herself mentally for her sudden inability to engage Mugi in conversation.

As she pushed the dry mop around the floor, Himeko racked her brain, searching for the right words to get things started. Unfortunately, she couldn't come up with anything that didn't sound weird, creepy, or moronic. It didn't help that Mugi seemed as hesitant to speak as she was. It was as though each was waiting for the other to make the first move. Stuck in a conversational stalemate, they worked in silence until the cleaning was done, speaking only when needed to perform their assigned tasks.

Himeko felt the frustration rising within her as she and Mugi prepared to leave the classroom for the day. There was no way of telling when she'd get another chance to talk to Mugi alone like this, if ever, so she knew had to make the most of the opportunity to establish common ground with the beautiful blonde who had captured her imagination. To her dismay, however, all the words she'd imagined saying had fled from her mind.

"Hey, thanks again for agreeing to stay," was all she could manage.

The _ojō_ smiled warmly in response.

"It was no trouble at all. I volunteered because it was you, Tachibana-san…"

To Himeko's surprise, Mugi actually blushed.

"…I mean, you're so nice that I didn't want you to get stuck without help," the blonde added hurriedly, her cheeks now a bright pink.

The taller girl's eyes widened momentarily. It almost sounded like Mugi agreed to help because she wanted an excuse to get closer to Himeko, but the brunette quickly dismissed that idea out of hand. There was no way Mugi was interested in her, she told herself. The _ojō_ had agreed to fill in for Nojima because it was the right thing to do. Still, it was a decent thing for Mugi to say, and Himeko thought she should probably respond appropriately, but all the tongue-tied brunette could come up with was, "I guess we're done, then."

"I guess so," Mugi sighed, her disappointment obvious. With a last mournful look at Himeko, she turned to leave, but as she did so her book bag slipped out of her hands and landed on the floor with a loud thud. It burst open, and everything inside spilled out. Instinctively, Himeko knelt down to help gather the scattered books and papers. When she picked up the nearest book, she froze.

The volume in her hands was a copy of Yamaji Ebine's _Love My Life_. It was a yuri manga, but not one of the usual fanservice-laden offerings targeted mostly at men. Like Shimura, Yamaji's works dealt with explicitly LGBT themes, and it was almost unheard of for straight girls to read them. With sudden insight, Himeko knew that the rumors about Mugi liking girls had to be true, at least on some level. There was no way she could come right out and ask the blonde to confirm this – it would be too forward – but she didn't feel she needed to. In her mind, the copy of Yamaji's manga was all the evidence necessary.

She looked up to see the _ojō_ staring at her in shock and embarrassment. Wordlessly, Himeko handed her the manga volume, wishing she could say something to reassure Mugi that she was not going to reject her, and that they were in fact of the same mind. After a moment's frantic thought, she had a flash of inspiration, and after rummaging around in her own book bag, she finally pulled out her copy of _Aoi Hana_ and held it up so Mugi could see it. If Mugi was reading Yamaji, she would certainly understand the significance of Himeko owning a copy of a manga written by Shimura.

Looking momentarily confused, Mugi stared at the book in Himeko's hand, but when she recognized the title, the uncertainty on her face was quickly replaced by mingled relief and understanding. She had taken the point immediately.

"Um…wow…so you like this kind of manga, too, Tachibana-san? Most girls don't, unless they have certain, uh, sensibilities."

Despite Mugi's indirect way of confronting the issue, Himeko knew exactly what she meant. As the two girls went back to collecting the fallen books and papers, she lowered her voice so it couldn't be heard outside the classroom, and chose her words carefully.

"I like to read manga that hit me where I live. _Love My Life_ is really good, but _Aoi Hana_ is my favorite, because...uh, let's just say that Fumi and I have a lot in common. You don't think that's…weird, do you?"

Mugi abruptly stopped stuffing papers into her book bag, and her eyes locked onto Himeko's. There was a gleam in them that made the brunette shiver, even though the classroom was still well-heated by the afternoon sun. The _ojō_ said nothing for several seconds, and in the deathly quiet of the empty room Himeko could almost hear her own heart pounding.

"I don't find it the least bit weird, Tachibana-san," Mugi finally replied. "In fact, I'm really happy to find someone who's, um…like me, and who understands where I'm coming from. I hope we can become better friends because of that."

Himeko wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Mugi had all but come out to her, and what was more, she had also sent a clear signal that she wanted to get to know Himeko better. In a single turn of events, the main reason for her holding back from pursuing Mugi had been erased. It was the most amazing stroke of good fortune the young athlete could ever remember experiencing.

Having finished gathering the contents of Mugi's book bag, the two girls stood, and the _ojō_ once more looked at Himeko as if waiting for her to say something. Now that they'd finally broken the ice, there were so many things the brunette wanted to tell Mugi, but to her chagrin, they had run out of time and needed to head off to their respective clubs. Besides, the classroom wasn't the place for anything other than small talk, because there was no telling who might overhear, and the two had already placed themselves on dangerous ground even with the roundabout conversation they'd just had. No, Himeko reasoned, if she was going to tell Mugi how she felt about her, they needed to be by themselves, outside the school building in a location where they could have greater privacy. Perhaps if they met later, after their respective practices, they could pick up where they left off.

"Um, Kotobuki-san, what time do you get done with club activities?"

"17:00."

"You take the electric train, right?" Himeko continued, trying to remember what she had overheard Mugi saying earlier in the year. "Would it be too much trouble if I walked you to Kami-Itabashi station? My part-time job is right near there."

To Himeko's delight, Mugi quickly and enthusiastically agreed.

"That would be wonderful!"

"How about we meet by the Founder's Statue at 17:00, then?" Himeko offered, trying to keep her voice sounding normal.

"I'll be there," Mugi promised. "You can count on it."

An hour and a half – it seemed like such a long time to wait, and the anticipation of being with Mugi again was going to make it seem even longer. Himeko resolved to make the time move faster by putting everything she had into that day's softball practice. She'd hit every pitch and field every fly ball as if Mugi was in the stands watching. And when it was over, she'd run to meet the blonde, and then…well, Himeko was convinced that something beautiful and wonderful was going to happen.

When she reached the classroom door, Mugi turned to the taller girl one final time, and sapphire eyes met dark brown.

"See you later…Tachibana-san."

With a brilliant smile that turned Himeko's insides molten, Mugi waved, then left the room. The overjoyed brunette waited until she was out of sight before fist-pumping in triumph.

* * *

_8/17/2009, 3:32 pm  
__Music Room, Sakuragaoka Girl's Senior High School_

The starry-eyed Mugi practically danced with exultation all the way to the third floor landing. She could still hardly believe that Himeko, the softball star who set her heart racing, had asked to walk her to the train station. When she offered to stay late, she wasn't hoping for that much – just a chance to talk to Himeko in private, nothing more. All it had taken was one dropped book bag to completely change things between the two girls, and it never would have happened if she hadn't impulsively volunteered to cover cleaning duty. The blonde still couldn't believe it.

She paused in front of the Music Room door, her book bag clasped to her chest, and smiled as Himeko's face filled her mind. She imagined herself in the brunette's strong arms, pressed against her sculpted body. They would fit together just right, Mugi was certain. Himeko's deep brown eyes would gaze into her own, melting her from the inside out, and then those lips Mugi longed to taste would find hers…

With a start, she realized she was still out on the landing, face flushed and heart pounding, lost in her daydream about Himeko. She needed to get hold of herself before joining the others. After all, an _ojō_ needed to be the very picture of elegance, and at the moment she didn't exactly look the part. After several deep breaths to control her racing pulse, she smoothed out her uniform jacket, adjusted her collar ribbon, and pushed through the Music Room door.

Mugi's four band mates were seated around the table in their customary places. As she stepped into the room, four teacups froze in midair, and four pairs of eyes met hers. They were expecting a report on events in the classroom, she knew, but she was still too excited to do anything more than smile at them. After several seconds, Yui broke the silence. Placing her cup onto its saucer, the guitarist smiled eagerly back at Mugi and began peppering her with questions.

"So, how did it go? What did she say? What did she do? What did _you_ do? Come on, Mugi-chan, tell us!"

"She's all flushed, so I'll bet it went well," Ritsu grinned. "Can't you picture it, Yui? After-school love in the empty classroom, just like in a manga."

"Whoa, you're right, Ricchan!" the wide-eyed guitarist exclaimed, as if the possibility had only just occurred to her. "That _would_ make a good manga. I'll bet it was really romantic."

"I can see it now," the drummer said, speaking dramatically as if she was narrating a scene from a movie. "Tachibana-san, overcome with passion, goes down on one knee and declares her undying l-UNH!"

With a bang, Ritsu lifted from her seat, then slammed back down into the chair and slumped to the table with a groan. Mio, who had delivered the well-placed kick to Ritsu's shin, went back to drinking her tea without missing a beat.

"Shut up, Ritsu," she said between sips, her tone conversational. "Let Mugi talk."

"You too, Senpai," Azusa ordered, glaring at Yui. The latter huddled in her chair, sulking.

"Azunyan is so strict!"

"Ohh…Mio, why?" Ritsu moaned from the tabletop. "Oh, God…that hurt…I may never walk again…"

Ignoring them both, Azusa stood to her feet, and, with a smile at Mugi, headed for the teapot on the sideboard.

"I made the tea today, Mugi-senpai," she announced. "Please…have a seat, and let me serve you for a change."

Mugi had been watching all this from just inside the door. As usual, she would have been unable to get a word in edgewise, even if she'd thought to say anything in the first place. Grateful for the younger girl's offer, she dropped her book bag on the nearby bench and assumed her usual seat next to Mio, thanking Azusa for the cup of tea and slice of cake the younger girl put on the table in front of her. Too wound up to eat, she ignored the cake in favor of the tea. For about a minute, the only sound in the room was that of five girls sipping from their teacups, mingled with the rush of air bubbles rising through the water in Ton-chan's tank.

Finally, after a cautionary scowl at Ritsu and Yui, Mio turned to Mugi and cleared her throat.

"Now that we've gotten these two knuckleheads to keep quiet, how about you tell us what happened?"

It was no idle attempt at conversation. After her surrogate sister Sumire, the bassist was one of Mugi's closest friends, and her greatest source of encouragement. That was why, underneath her reserved exterior, Mio was even more curious and excited than the others. Mugi could read it clearly in her stormy grey eyes.

"She's going to walk me to the train station after we're done with club activities," the blonde replied with a grin, unable to control her jubilation any longer. "Oh, I'm so excited!"

There were exclamations of delight from the others. Yui, always the most animated, leaned forward and grabbed Mugi's free hand for emphasis, her chocolate-brown eyes shining with enthusiasm.

"Mugi-chan, that's awesome! I'm so happy for you! So tell us…how did it happen? Knowing Hime-chan, she was probably really sweet about the whole thing, wasn't she?"

"Yui-senpai…" Azusa growled, throwing a warning look at the brunette from the end of the table.

"Ooh, right, let Mugi-chan talk," Yui remembered, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Oh, that's okay," Mugi assured her with a warm smile. "Things worked out great, but it didn't exactly go the way I expected."

She gave a brief account of what had happened between her and Himeko in the classroom after Mio and Ritsu had left them, including how she had dropped her book bag, and how Himeko had reacted.

"You should have seen her," the blonde giggled. "Normally, she's so cool and calm about things, but once we were alone she started hemming and hawing and blushing. In fact, she was so rattled she barely said two words to me at first. It was so cute!"

Her eyes sparkled at the memory of Himeko's uncharacteristic shyness. Ritsu, however, frowned and scratched her head.

"I don't get it. Why didn't you just say something, Mugi? I mean, you've been mooning over her for months, right? Someone had to make a move. Why not you?"

It was an excellent question, and Mugi knew her answer made no sense to anyone but her. She looked away, embarrassed.

"I…I couldn't do that, Ricchan. I don't think I could ever be that…direct. I wanted to be, but I was just so nervous, almost as bad as she was. And anyway, well…I guess I prefer to be pursued rather than to pursue."

"Hang on, something still doesn't make sense," was Yui's puzzled interjection. "You say you found out she's into yuri, and that's how you know she's gay. I don't get that. Lesbians aren't the only ones who read yuri. How could you tell just from that?"

"That manga she saw was written for a lesbian audience," was Mugi's rejoinder. "Unless she was gay or bi, or maybe bi-curious, it's unlikely she'd have recognized it, but she not only knew immediately what it was, she'd actually read it. And then she showed me a copy of one of her own manga. It was another lesbian title. She seemed almost relieved, like she was looking for a sign that I wouldn't reject her."

There was another brief silence, this one broken by Ritsu. The drummer leaned back in her chair, folded her hands behind her head, and pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"The word in the hallways is that back in first year, Tachibana-san was dating Kiyomizu Asami-senpai, the softball captain. People have been talking behind her back about her liking girls ever since. I guess that rumor's true, then."

"I don't know about Kiyomizu-senpai, but I do know she likes girls," Mugi confirmed. "I was pretty sure of it already, but she basically told me so just now, and I did the same to her."

She looked around the table anxiously.

"I can see that Tachibana-san really likes me. She's going to confess, I just know it, and it may happen as soon as today. When she does, I'm going to accept. She's in the closet like me, so if we date we'd have to keep it secret. So please don't repeat this to anyone else, even to Sawa-chan or Ui-chan, okay? You guys know what my life would be like if I was outed, right?"

"Yes, we do," Mio assured her. "You've told us how…controlling your father can be. We don't want to make things worse for her, or for you, so don't worry, Mugi. We're your important friends, after all. We'll do everything we can to protect you, and that includes keeping our mouths shut. Isn't that right?"

As the bassist looked meaningfully at the others, Yui and Ritsu nodded their agreement, but Azusa hesitated.

"I don't want to sound negative, Mugi-senpai, but you do remember that it's less than seven months until graduation, don't you? I know the four of you want to go Japan Women's together. That'll mean you'll leave town, right? Have you thought about what will happen then? So many of these relationships break up when people leave for college, and…"

Ritsu interrupted her with an exasperated groan.

"Again with the doom and gloom," the drummer chided, frowning at the younger girl. "Look, I admit I'm clueless when it comes to this sort of thing, but this is Mugi, our friend. If being with Tachibana-san makes her happy, then we need to support her. So try to say something positive for a change."

With a frustrated sigh, Azusa sank into her chair.

"I just…don't want to see Mugi-senpai get hurt," the younger girl glowered. "It seems like she's being set up for a fall."

She glanced briefly at Yui, and Mugi immediately caught the flash of pain in her eyes. The friendship between the two girls was complicated, but there was no denying its intensity. Azusa pretended otherwise, but Mugi knew that younger girl dreaded the inevitable anguish that would come when Yui left her behind to go to university. As a loyal friend, Azusa didn't want Mugi to go through similar pain.

Yui gulped down the last of her tea, then smiled at her fellow guitarist. It was a sunny sort of smile the brunette reserved only for Azusa, and Mugi felt warmed by it, even if it wasn't intended for her.

"You need to leave Azunyan alone, Ricchan," Yui gently scolded the drummer, who shrugged in response. "She's just trying to be realistic, as always. Hey, are you going to eat that?"

She motioned toward the untouched slice of cake in front of Mugi, who shook her head. With a grunt of satisfaction, Yui pulled the plate across the table and tucked in, talking between bites.

"Even so, Azunyan shouldn't worry so much. Graduation is a long way away, and a lot can happen before then. Anyway, sometimes a girl has to go with what her heart says, even when her head tells her it's not the best move in the world. After all, if I got into JWU, and I wound up leaving town, it wouldn't change how I feel about Azunyan. I'd miss her. I'd call her and email her every day, and I'd travel home as often as I could to see her. You know, to keep her from being lonely, and to recharge my Azunyan energy. Some people might think that's silly, but I'd do it all for Azunyan without a second thought."

This soliloquy was delivered with typical Yui-style bluntness, and it made Azusa blush a deep crimson. She looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her.

"Senpai, don't say weird things like that in front of everyone!" she complained. Yui did not reply; she merely smiled serenely at her mortified kōhai.

Yui was being completely serious, but as was so often the case, the exchange between the two guitarists was just too cute, and Mugi nearly giggled out loud at the sight. She bit back on the urge, however, because laughter would only make Azusa feel worse, and she didn't want that.

"I know you're only looking out for my best interest, Azusa-chan," she said, trying to sound as comforting as possible. "But Yui-chan is right – seven months is a long time. I know this is all likely to end badly, but like Yui-chan said, I have to go with my heart on this."

Mio patted Mugi's hand encouragingly.

"Whatever we need to do to help, you know you can count on us. All of us."

The blonde couldn't help but look at Azusa as Mio said this. The tiny girl returned her gaze for a moment, then wordlessly nodded her agreement. It was a signal that she was willing to put aside her reservations for Mugi's sake. The blonde, filled with gratitude, smiled warmly at the younger girl, and after a moment Azusa relaxed and smiled back.

"Mio's right," Ritsu declared after a moment's thought. "We need to do whatever we can to help things along. In fact, I think we need to come with the two of you to the train station. Uh, to make sure things, you know, go well."

"Absolutely!" Yui agreed. "We need to be there for Mugi-chan!"

This, of course, was exactly the kind of help Mugi didn't want. Raising her hands in protest, she shook her head vigorously, her honey-blonde hair emphasizing the motion by whipping back and forth.

"Um, that's okay, guys. I don't think Tachibana-san and I…"

"If you even think about following them to the station, I'll kick your other shin even harder," Mio interrupted, fixing Ritsu with such a menacing look that the drummer's eyes widened in fear.

"The same goes for you," Azusa informed Yui in an icy voice. "If you pull anything funny, I'll…well, let's just say I won't be available to go to the cake shop with you on Saturday."

Yui turned pale.

"Azunyan, you wouldn't," she whined.

"Try me."

"Fine," the auburn-haired girl pouted, folding her arms in frustration.

"We're wasting time here," Mio broke in. "Now that we're up to date on what's going on with Mugi and Tachibana-san, it's time we got down to club business. It's two months to the Cultural Festival, and we've got two brand-new songs on our set list. That means we need to practice."

"Mio-senpai is right," Azusa chimed in.

At the mention of the word "practice," the energy Ritsu and Yui had displayed moments before seemed to evaporate. They collapsed into their chairs, looking absolutely exhausted. Under normal circumstances, Mugi would be sorely tempted to enable their laziness and supply them liberally with tea and cakes, but today she surprised the two would-be slackers by siding with Mio.

"Um, I agree. I'm feeling a lot of nervous energy, actually. Let's practice for a while. If we have a really good session, I'll bring out the cookies I've got stashed in the back room."

As Mugi expected, her words had an almost magical effect. Yui immediately sprang to her feet and thrust her fist into the air.

"Cookies! Yes! Let's do this! Come on, Ricchan!"

As Yui headed for her guitar, followed closely by Azusa and the now-energized Ritsu, Mio pulled at Mugi's sleeve, signaling she wanted a moment of private conversation. The two girls remained by the table, talking in low voices.

"Don't worry about those two," the bassist said with a nod toward Ritsu and Yui, who were horsing around next to the drum set. "Azusa and I will make sure you and Tachibana-san have your privacy. Ritsu may be an idiot, but she means well. I'll keep her in line, and leave Yui to Azusa."

"I really appreciate you and the others being there for me," Mugi replied sincerely. "Whatever happens, at least I'll have my friends to fall back on."

The two girls smiled at each other briefly before Mio walked over to where Elizabeth stood waiting on her stand. After slinging the bass strap over her shoulder and plugging in her patch cable, she turned to the others.

"Okay, let's get tuned up," she directed. "We'll start by running through _Fuwa Fuwa Time_."

As Mugi checked the pre-sets on her Korg, she had a passing wish that it was already 17:00. She tried to push the thought aside, knowing that she was in for a rough time if she allowed herself to be distracted by the prospect of meeting Himeko after practice, but it was no use. The tall brunette's face lingered in her mind, and it made Mugi desperate to see her again. She imagined Himeko sitting on the bench in front of her, watching her perform, and after they had finished, telling Mugi how wonderful her playing and singing had been…

"Mugi, are you ready?"

The fantasy image evaporated at the sound of Ritsu's voice. With a deep breath, Mugi nodded, and the drummer counted off. As Yui's opening guitar riff rang through the Music Room, Mugi had one final thought before turning her full attention to the music.

_I'm playing this one for you, Himeko-chan._

* * *

_8/17/2009, 5:21 pm  
__Kami-Itabashi Station, Kami-Itabashi 2-36-7, Itabashi Ward, Tōkyō_

The westbound electric train ground to a stop, as it did eight times every hour in the middle of the commuter rush. Passengers flooded through the train's open side doors, heading for the stairway in the center of the platform in an attempt to get home and out of the heat and humidity as fast as possible. Within a minute or so, the doors closed, and the train pulled away, rattling and creaking as it departed, leaving the westbound platform empty except for the two figures at the far eastern end.

Mugi and Himeko stood silently in the shade of the station's steel overhang, trying to stay cool by sipping from bottles of iced tea. Because of all the commotion associated with the arrival of so many passengers, it was no use trying to talk until the platform had cleared. In due course, the train pulled out, and after watching the tail lights of the last carriage as it faded into the distance, Himeko chuckled humorlessly.

"I hate hiding in plain sight like this. To have to go to such extremes just to have a private conversation, it's just…"

As she spoke, she turned back to look at Mugi, and the words died on her lips. That bewitching pair of sapphire eyes arrested her attention yet again, and the tightness in her chest intensified. It was the good kind of tightness, the type that could only come from being in the presence of someone you were totally infatuated with. For a moment, she couldn't say anything more; all she could do was look and smile.

For her part, Mugi simply smiled back. Unlike Himeko, she seemed to be enjoying the clandestine nature of their rendezvous.

"It feels like we should be wearing trench coats," said the blonde with barely suppressed excitement. "Like we're spies exchanging secrets."

Himeko couldn't help but giggle at this. Her companion was doing her best to look mysterious, in keeping with the word picture she'd painted. _It's a fail, though,_ the taller girl decided. _She's just too cute to be convincing as a secret agent._

"I hardly think spies would hang around a train station for very long after passing information," she teased, without intending any real malice. "And don't you think trench coats would be a bit obvious?"

Mugi shrugged, and flashed Himeko a mischievous smile.

"I guess you're right. Still, it's fun to pretend, isn't it? It makes hanging around a train station feel a bit less…unusual."

"It's the only option I could come up with off the top of my head," was Himeko's rejoinder. "There's no one close enough to hear us, so this works fine."

The shyness that had plagued Himeko in the classroom had disappeared. Mugi proved to be so easy to talk to that by the time the two had walked from the school to the station they were on a first-name basis, chatting as freely as if they were childhood friends. They had mostly talked about manga and anime and the various goings-on in class and in their respective clubs, which was fine with Himeko. After all, it didn't seem appropriate to discuss anything other than trivialities while they were walking down a busy street. In the relative privacy of a deserted train platform, however, things were different.

The stage was set for her to tell Mugi how she felt; it was just a matter of finding the right way to say what she needed to say. To buy time and gather her thoughts, Himeko took a final gulp of tea, then tossed both her and Mugi's empty bottles into a nearby recycling bin. A mental catalogue of conversation-starters scrolled through her mind.

_Okay, I'm not going to mess this up like before…but how to go about it? "I really like you. Would you go out with me?" God, that's so cliché. "I've been watching you since last April…" Eww! Creepy. "You have such beautiful hair. I'd love to brush it." Ugh. Even creepier. "I think you're really pretty." What is this, elementary school? "So, are you free on Saturday?" That sounds like a line from a cheesy dating sim. Geez…why can't I do this?_

Inexplicably, the words weren't coming, and because of that, the confidence that had built within Himeko over the previous three hours began to evaporate. Before she could give in to her insecurities, however, the blonde unexpectedly came to her rescue.

"It's too bad Sakuragaoka isn't like Lillian Girls' Academy," Mugi said, referring to the fictional setting of _Maria-sama ga Miteru_; she and Himeko had been discussing the latest light novel in the shoujo-ai series on the walk to the station. "If it was, girls would be free to like each other without hiding it, because nobody would think it was weird."

"Yeah, but real life isn't like _Marimite_," Himeko mused, shaking her head sadly. "If Sakuragaoka was like Lillian, we'd be having this conversation in the courtyard in front of the Founder's Statue, and we wouldn't care who overheard us. Much as I like that series, it's fantasy."

"Still, I always wished I could go to a school like Lillian," Mugi continued, her eyes sparkling. "I used to imagine I was like Yumi, with an onē-sama like Sachiko. Someone who'd treat me tenderly and protect me. Someone I could love with all my heart in return."

Lost in thought, the blonde gazed across the tracks at the deserted eastbound platform. The evening sun's rays caught her honey-blonde hair just right, making her seem like she was glowing, as if she was an incarnation of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Himeko stood transfixed, lost in what was, in her mind, the most beautiful sight she'd ever beheld. In that one moment, all the desire and longing that she'd been feeling for the past four months surged through her at once, and suddenly the words that wouldn't come earlier formed in her brain, rolling off her tongue without a conscious thought.

"I could be that for you, and more, if you'll have me."

As she realized what she'd said, she winced and clapped a hand over her mouth, embarrassed at how idiotic her statement sounded. They weren't living in a _Marimite_ fantasy world. Not only that, she was certainly no onē-sama; she was less than a month older than Mugi as it was. The heat crept up the back of her neck, and knew she was probably blushing like a beacon. As she opened her mouth to apologize, however, Mugi cut her off.

"Was that…a confession?"

The _ojō_ turned to look up at taller girl, and their eyes locked. There was a strange, unreadable expression on Mugi's face, and it caused last-minute doubt in Himeko's mind. There was still an outside chance that she had totally misinterpreted things, and that the blonde might refuse her. Even so, there was no way she was going to pull back now, not when she was so close to declaring herself. With a deep breath, she fought off her fear of rejection and forced the words out.

"Y-yeah…I guess it was…M-mugi-san…I…really like you. Would you…go out with me?"

To Himeko's dismay, Mugi's eyes filled with tears. _Oh, God, you've made her cry!_ she chastised herself. _Himeko, you idiot!_ Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what she'd said or done wrong, but as before, Mugi's words brought her up short.

"That's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me!" the blonde gasped, her face lighting up with joy despite the tear stains that shimmered in the light of the setting sun. "I really like you, too! Oh, Himeko-san, please care for me well! I want to hug you. Can I? Never mind, I'm going to do it anyway."

Without waiting for an answer, Mugi threw her arms around Himeko's neck. Despite being taken by surprise, Himeko quickly recovered her wits, and responded by wrapping her arms around Mugi's waist and pulling her close. The smaller girl's body was so soft and warm against her own, and she smelled like…Himeko had no words for how wonderful her scent was. To hold Mugi close like this sent her heartbeat into overdrive. _She feels just like I dreamed she would, _Himeko exulted. _I've wanted this for so long…Oh, God, I feel like I'm melting…if we could just stay like this forever…_

The moment ended all too abruptly, as loud rattling and squealing from several hundred meters down the railroad track heralded the next train's arrival. With a start, the two girls pulled out of the embrace. Mugi wiped what was left of the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, then smiled weakly at Himeko in an attempt to reassure her everything was okay.

"Sorry for crying like that," she apologized. "When you asked if you could walk me to the station, I had a feeling you were going to confess. I just didn't expect it to happen quite like that, so my emotions got the best of me…"

She was interrupted by the train as it rolled into the station and stopped to let off its passengers. It was an awkward moment for the two girls as they stood face to face, wanting nothing more than to return to each other's arms, but painfully aware of the need to keep their desire for each other from being too obvious to the people around them. In the end, they were unable to do much more than smile wordlessly at each other as they waited for the cacophony surrounding them to subside. Once the platform had cleared again, Mugi was finally able to continue where she left off.

"Anyway, that's why I hugged you," she admitted with a sheepish grin. "I know I shouldn't be doing that in public. I'm really sorry if that embarrassed you, but I couldn't help myself. I just had to do it!"

"I wasn't embarrassed, because no one was watching," Himeko replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "But you're right – we need to watch that sort of thing. When people see two girls hanging on each other, they tend to ask all sorts of difficult questions. But that doesn't mean I don't like it when you cling to me. Behind closed doors, you can do that all you want, okay?"

"Don't worry, I plan to. There are plenty more hugs where that came from."

Mugi's smile was radiant, and Himeko was pretty sure hers was just as broad.

"I've liked you for so long – ever since the beginning of the year," she found herself saying. "I didn't dare speak up because of the risks, of course. I mean, what if you didn't like girls? I couldn't read you, and I was too afraid to approach you because of that. I was convinced nothing would ever happen, and that I'd spend the rest of third year wishing for the impossible."

"I'm so sorry about that," Mugi replied, her smile faltering momentarily. "I was pretty much in the same position. I wasn't brave enough to tell you how I felt. I guess if I hadn't dropped my book bag, things wouldn't have changed at all, and we…"

"But they _did_ change," Himeko interrupted. "Now here we are. Not only did I get to tell you my feelings, I found out you like me back…it still hardly seems possible. Am I dreaming, Mugi-san? Am I going to wake up and find this all isn't real?"

After looking around to make sure no one was watching, Mugi took Himeko's hands in hers.

"It most certainly is not a dream. It's reality. My feelings are real…and I'm so happy I can barely breathe!"

She beamed like a small child who had just been given an unexpected gift. It was almost too much for Himeko.

"Mugi-san is just too cute," she giggled, unable to keep the thought to herself.

Mugi's hands tightened just a bit around Himeko's.

"And Himeko-san is so beautiful," was her gentle reply. The words made the brunette blush yet again.

"Ah, now you're just trying to get me flustered," she pretended to accuse her companion.

"Sorry," Mugi replied with an unrepentant twinkle in her eye. "Your blushing face is just too appealing to resist, if that makes a difference."

"It doesn't."

"So mean!" The blonde puffed out her face in false indignation.

_Oh, God, she's just so adorable, _Himeko groaned inwardly. _I have to get this conversation back on track before she turns me into a quivering wreck._

"I'm just as happy as you are, Mugi-san," she said, referring to her new girlfriend's earlier declaration. "The fact that you accepted me…I still can't come up with words to describe what I'm feeling. Look, I know we have a lot going against us. You're from a wealthy family, and I'm just a working-class girl. You're going away to university, and I'm staying here in town to go to beauty college. It's very likely we'll have to part ways after graduation. On top of that, this is a so-called forbidden relationship, and we have to keep it secret, because if word gets out…anyway, I don't care about all the potential complications. I just…really like you…"

Mugi squeezed her girlfriend's hands even more tightly for a moment.

"I know all about the risks. The girls in the club and I already talked about them. But I'm like you – I don't care. I just want to be with you, the girl I like, for whatever amount of time fate gives us."

Himeko's eyes widened.

"Okay…wait, what? You talked about…us? With the Light Music Club girls?"

Before she could panic, however, Mugi was quick to offer reassurance.

"You don't need to worry. I've been out to them for over a year, and I trust them. They're the only ones who know about me, besides my little sister. Anyway, our secret will be safe with them. If anyone else finds out about us, it will be our fault, not theirs."

Himeko took a moment to process this. Mio and Azusa came across like they could be trusted, but it seemed improbable that girls as gabby as Ritsu and Yui could keep a confidence. As she thought about it, however, she realized that no matter how much they liked to talk, they'd never so much as hinted at Mugi's sexual preference the entire time she'd known them. She decided to go with Mugi's word and give them the benefit of the doubt.

"You're lucky," she said, unable to keep a trace of bitterness out of her voice. "You have someone to talk to. The only ones who know about me besides you are my mom, and, um…my ex. Mom's not all that supportive. She thinks it's a phase I'm going through, even though I keep telling her that…"

Himeko's words trailed off when she noticed Mugi's smile had suddenly vanished. In its place was a somber, almost unhappy expression. For a moment, Himeko wondered what she'd said wrong, but then it dawned on her that she'd carelessly let slip about Kiyomizu-senpai. _Way to go, Himeko,_ she scolded herself. _Why'd you have to bring up Asami at a time like this? _

A slight flush crept across Mugi's cheeks, and she stood lost in thought. The silence was deafening, and as the seconds ticked by, Himeko felt the panic rise within her.

"So it was true," Mugi said, finally breaking the silence. "The rumor about you and Kiyomizu-senpai, I mean."

"I'm sorry for even mentioning it," Himeko quickly replied. "Yes, it was true that she and I dated, but there's no reason for us to talk about it…"

The blonde stopped her with a raised hand.

"It's fine. I guess I just got a little jealous."

As she turned to face Himeko, her smile returned, and it was as bright as ever.

"Oh, I'm just being silly, aren't I? I'll get over it. Besides, it doesn't matter that you're more experienced than I am. If anything, that makes me feel more secure. I've never dated anyone before, and I don't know what I'm doing or what to expect, but I really want to learn. Who better than you to teach me?"

There was such an air of innocence about Mugi that it was impossible for Himeko to read anything perverted into her statement. She was simply happy to have Himeko as her girlfriend. Still, the brunette couldn't help getting a lump in her throat. _When a pretty girl like this says she wants you to teach her…_ she said to herself. _No. It's not going to be like it was with Asami. I'm going to go slowly this time, and stay within Mugi-san's comfort zone. We'll start with a date, and just let things progress from there._

"Um, Mugi-san…I was thinking…" she began.

The blonde smiled eagerly and clenched her fists in anticipation.

"Yes!" she declared, as if she had read Himeko's mind.

"Wait a second," Himeko protested, unable to keep from giggling again. "You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"You're going to ask me on a date, I just know it!" the grinning Mugi countered. "My answer is 'yes'!"

_Oh, God, she's so cute I think I just might die,_ Himeko thought. It made her want to laugh, but she bit back on the mirth because she didn't want Mugi to think she was making fun of her.

"Well, now that you've given me your answer, how about I ask the question?" she smirked. "Are you free Saturday night?"

Mugi nodded.

"I'll make sure of it."

"I was thinking we could meet up in Tokumaru for an early movie." Himeko offered. "You'd get to pick the movie, of course. Then we could get something to eat, and then figure it out from there."

Mugi looked dreamily off into the distance again.

"My first date ever," she said, as if she couldn't believe it. "It sounds so…so perfect, Himeko-san. The girls from the club were talking about going to karaoke on Saturday, but I'm always the fifth wheel when we go out like that. I'll just tell them I have plans."

"Are you sure they won't mind?" Himeko asked with sudden anxiety. In her enthusiasm, she'd temporarily forgotten how close Mugi was to her club mates, and didn't want to intrude on those long-established friendships. However, the blonde's response was quite firm.

"Of course they won't, especially not when I tell them the plans are with you. They're rooting for us, anyway."

That was good enough for Himeko. She was about to say, "I'll call you with the details," when it dawned on her that she didn't have Mugi's phone number. The two girls had barely finished exchanging the necessary information when the telltale sounds of wheels grinding on metal tracks announced the arrival of the next commuter train. As it came to a stop next to the platform, Mugi checked the time display on her phone, then retrieved her book bag from where she'd left it next to the nearby support beam.

"I'd better take this one," she sighed.

The statement brought Himeko crashing back to earth.

"Do you really have to go?" she complained. "Why not take the next one?"

"You have to get to work," Mugi reminded her. "You've got less than 15 minutes."

"Oh, right. Good point."

Himeko wondered why it suddenly felt like they were saying goodbye for a week. Mugi wasn't even on the train yet and she was already feeling the emptiness of separation. Her companion seemed to notice, because she responded with a sympathetic smile.

"You can always call me as soon as you get home, you know."

Swallowing her disappointment at her girlfriend's necessary departure, Himeko nodded.

"I won't wait until I'm home. I'll call as soon as I get off work."

They exchanged good-byes, and Himeko watched as the _ojō_ turned and disappeared into the crowd of passengers. After the train was out of sight, a sense of loss welled up inside her, almost as if the two of them had been separated permanently. She shook her head, telling herself she was being melodramatic, and that they'd see each other in homeroom the next morning. Nevertheless, she felt a sudden desire to connect with Mugi once more, as a sort of exclamation point on their time together. It took her only a few moments of tapping at her cell phone's keyboard to compose and send the email.

_I miss you already._

The response came in less than thirty seconds.

_I miss you too, desperately. Can't wait to hear your voice._

As Himeko left the station and headed for the convenience store, those eleven words had her floating on air. Normally, she'd be less than eager to get to work, but tonight was different. Even the soul-crushing boredom of a three-hour shift was not enough to kill the anticipation of what was waiting for her afterward: in exactly 194 minutes, she'd get to talk to Mugi again.

* * *

**A/N:**

− My heartfelt gratitude goes to Musician74, my long-suffering beta-reader, who stuck with me through multiple versions of this story. The woman is either a saint, or crazy, or a bit of both – I'm not sure which.

− The street address given for Sakuragaoka in this fic corresponds to that of Nihon University Buzan Girls' Junior and Senior High School, a real-life girls' school in Itabashi Ward, Tōkyō.

− _Aoi Hana_ and _Love My Life_ are both critically-acclaimed examples of yuri manga that deal openly and realistically with lesbian issues. _Maria-sama ga Miteru_ (usually shortened to _Marimite_) is a series of light novels considered by many critics to be one of the defining works of _shōjo-ai_ fiction.

− **_EDIT 1/13/2013:_** Thanks to Selective Mutism (aka MUTE-sk3tch3s), _Encore_ now has cover art. The high-resolution version can be found at #/d5rc8fn .

* * *

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